Tamping device for block-molds.



Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET L. H. SOLON.

TAMPING DEVICE FOR B LOCK MOLDS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE H), 1914.

L. H. SOLON. TAMPING DEVICE FOR BLOCK MOLDS.

v 7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. I914. Patented Dec. 28,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

611101 me go COLUMBIA PLANOGRMH 60., \VASHXNGTON. n. c.

LOUIS SOLON, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IUVJA.

Application filed June 19, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Louis H. Sonon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Tamping Devices for llloclr-ltllolds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tamping devices employed in connection with molds for forming artificial stone building blocks, and its object is to provide a novel and improved fluid-pressure operated tainging device which can be easily controlled, and which is simple in construction and ei'licient in operation.

This object is attained by means oi a combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 22 of 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and d is a sectional detail of a controlling valve.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes a mold box constructed and arranged in any suitable or desired manner. Above the mold box is mounted a tamping device comprising a series of tamper feet 11 carried at the lower end of rods 12 attached to reciprocatory plungers 13 working in fluid-pressure cylinders 14:. lhese cylinders are connected at their upper ends to an aii chamber 15, from which they depend in a row. The chamber has an inlet 16 connected to any suitable source of compressed air or other fluid-pressure. The cylinders all open at their upper ends into the chamber and the tainpers are therefore operated simultaneously. In the fluid-pressure supply conduit 17 leading to the charm her is a valve 18 provided with an operating handle 19. This valve is so constructed that when. the handle-is swung to one side, fluid-pressure is let into the chamber to pass into the cylinders, and when the handle is swung to the opposite side, he fluid-pressure supply is shut oii and at the same time an exhaust port 20 is uncovered to permit escape of the fluid-pressure from the cylinders. lhe Valve handle swings between stops 21, and it is held against either one or the other of said stops by a spring 22 or any Specification of Letters Eatent.

elevation or the device;

Patenteo 28, 18:15.

Serial No.

other suitable means. The chamber 15 is mounted in any suitable manner on the ceiling joists or on some other overhead support.

To the lower end of each cylinder 14 is coupled, by means of a reducer 23, a depending tube having a cap 25 fitted to its lower end. The plunger rod 12 passes loosely through this tube and also through a central opening in the cap and depends from the latter. In the tube are side ports to permit the escape of air which is beneath the plunger 13.

Each tamper foot 11 comprises a block having an upstanding top lug 27 fitting against one side of the lower end of the plunger rod 12. Bolts 28 passing through the lug and the plunger rod secure the tamper foot to the latter. The top of the block slopes toward both sides to prevent the material from accumulating thereon. The length of the tamper foot is such that it projects from opposite sic es of the plunrod, and to one of the projecting ends is connected one end of a coiled spring 29 having its other end anchored to any suitable overhead support. This spring is provided for the purpose of retracting the tamper foot.

In operation, air being admitted into the cylinders 14. the plungers 13 forced downward, and the feet 11 enter the mold box 10 to tamp the material therein. Upon shutting oil the air supply and opening the exhaust, the springs 29 elevate the tainper feet and force the plungers back to the upper end of the cylinders for the next stroke, said springs being stretched on the down-stroke. The reducers .28 are encircled by a clamping member 30 to the ends of which latter are connected brace rods 31 extending to the overhead support. he clamping member is in two parts, so that upon removal of one of said arts, any one of the cylinder 14lmay be taken down for repairs. The lower ends of the plunger rods 12 are squared or angular in crosssection, and the openings in the caps 25 correspond, whereby the rods and the tam per feet 11 carried thereby, are prevented from turning.

In order to hold any of the tamper feet 11 elevated in inoperative position when making sectional or small blocks, set screws 32 are threaded through the reducers 23.

Upon advancing these set screws to bind against the plunger rods 12, the same may be locked in elevated position.

The tamping device hereinbeiore described is simple in construction and eliicient in operation, and it can be easily controlled. Different sizes of tamper feet may be provided for different sized blocks. The tamper feet are narrow in order that they may pass down between the cores of the mold.

Upon finally tamping the blocks a piece of sheet metal the size of the mold is placed on the block and struck a few times with the tamper-feet, all the tamper-feet being operated simultaneously. Ii one end of the mold should be filled sooner than the other, both ends will be tamped evenly as the tamper feet Work independently of each other.

I claim:

1. A. tamping device comprisinga iiuidpressure cylinder, a cap mounted on one end of the cylinder and having an angular central opening, a plunger working in the cylinder, side ports in the cylinder near its said end, a rod connected to the plunger and passing through the opening in the cap and projecting therefrom, and a tamper foot carried by the projecting portion of the rod, said portion being angular in crosssection to corrrespond with the opening in the cap.

2. A tamping device comprising a series of fluid-pressure cylinders, a cap mounted on one end of each cylinder and having an angular central opening, side ports in the cylinder near its said end, a plunger Working in each cylinder, a rod connected to the plunger and passing through the opening in the cap and projecting therefrom, a tamper foot carrried by the projecting portion oil. each rod, said portion being angular in cross-section to correspond with the opening in the cap, a two-part clamping member encircling the cyiinde s and braces connected to said clamping member.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LOUIS H. SOLON.

li'itnesses Mlinln C. Novnrr, E. A. Fonnron.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

